Eailkoad-switch stand



UNrrn srkfr R. A. XVILDER, OF GRESSONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-SWITCH STAND.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,493, dated March 13, 1860.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, R. A. l/VILDER, of

l Cressona, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Switch Stands; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specication, in which- Fignre 1 represents the switch stand in perspective. Fig. 2 represents an elevation thereof partially in section, to more clearly show some of the parts concealed in Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference where they occur in the separate gures denote like parts of the switch stand in both of them.

I am aware that locks, and lock and lever bolts, have been used in connection with switch stands, but in such manner as to make their use, and operation, tedious and uncertain, requiring the switch tender t0 use both his hands to operate them. Besides this, the time required to loosen and move the switch in case of accident, or when switching on or off trains of cars, is of great importance in preventing collisions. I do not claim the application of locks, and locking levers, as applied to switch stands in general.

The nature of my invention consists in the manner in which I have arranged and combined my lock, and locking-lever, with the main switch lever, so that both may be operated with certainty, and security, and be perfectly protected from disarrangement by those not charged with their care.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawmos.

:Ik represents a base or block upon which the switch stand B, is permanently secured.

C, is the switch lever, pivoted to the stand at D, and passing up through between the curved arcs E, E. To the lower end of this switch-lever may be attached in any suitable manner, the rod that connects it with the switch, so that the swinging of said lever C, on its pivot D, and between the guide pieces E, will open or close the switch as the case may be. The top of the lever C,

may be furnished with a signal board of any desirable kind to designate the lever, and its position, which also indicates the position of the switch itself.

To the lever C, above the arcs or guide pieces E, is pivoted, as at a, a three armed lever -the arm 1, securing it to the main lever-the arm 2 connecting it by a link c, to a locking bolt e, and the arm 3, extending up in close proximity to the main lever C, so that the operator can readily grasp both the arm 3, and the lever C, in one hand, and by compressing the spring f, raise up the locking bolt e, out of any or either one of the notches 4, 5, 6, in the arc-guide piece E, and by that one hand operate the lever C, while he continues to hold the bolt away from its notch or keeper. By releasing his grasp slightly, the spring f, will react and throw down the bolt e, and cause it to drop into the first notch or keeper that it comes to, and firmly hold the lever C, at that point, so that by one hand only, and at one operation as it were, the attendant can draw the locking bolt from its notch, and operate the switch lever, while his other hand is free to attend to any other manipulation that may be required-or, by simply relaxing his grasp, without letting go the lever, he can allow the bolt to shoot into its notch, ward, or keeper-and there lock the lever.

'Io keep this switch stand from being moved or interfered with by those not in charge of it, is another important feature-d locking alone, is not sufficient, unless the lock, its bolt and keeper be secured in such position as that it cannot be got at. I arrange my lock as follows: The lock z', is arranged in the body of the lever C, in a suitable recess or opening made therein for that purpose. And a shield F, is then placed around it, so as not only entirely to secrete it, but to form also a protected space for the bolt e to work in. The bolt e has a notch, recess, or keeper 7 in it, into which the bolt 8, of the lock i shoots-and when the bolt e is so secured, locked, and protected, it is beyond the reach of those who would meddle with it.

Having thus fully described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim 1s 1. The so arranging of the lever b that connects the bolt e, with the main lever C, as lock and bolt, substantially as herein dethft the opgator1 by onebhand Iray seile scribed.

an o erate oth evers su stantia in t e mannr and for Jshe purpose descrlged. R' A' WILDER 2. I also claim in combination with the Witnesses:

lever C and the boltl e, a locking mechan- WM. A. HAMMER,

ism, and the shield F, for protecting the JOHN MCCOLLIN. 

